(dot) Gov: Health and Human Services, The Federal Workforce, And RFK Jr.

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🗓️ 8 January 2025

⏱️ 36 minutes

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Summary

The Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for protecting the health of all Americans.

It administers insurance programs like Medicare and Medicaid, approves food and drug products through the FDA, and oversees vaccines to prevent the spread of infectious diseases through the CDC.

As the largest civilian agency in the government, HHS employs more than 80,000 federal workers. But it's also an agency that could face significant changes under the incoming Trump administration.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal anti-vaccine activist, will head HHS if confirmed in the Senate. And President-elect Trump has promised to "dismantle government bureaucracy" by slashing the federal workforce.

For this installment of our (dot) Gov series, we discuss what the move means for the work HHS employees.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	What's in store for the music, TV, and film industries for 2025? We don't know, but we're making some fun, bold predictions for the new year. Listen now to the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast from NPR.
0:26.3	The Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for protecting the health of all Americans.
0:32.7	It administers health insurance programs like Medicare and Medicaid, approves food and drugs through the FDA, and oversees the development and distribution of vaccines to prevent the spread of infectious diseases through the CDC.
0:39.3	As the largest civilian agency in the government, HHS employs more than 80,000 federal workers,
0:46.0	but it's also an agency that could face significant changes under the incoming Trump administration.
0:51.6	Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal anti-vaccine activist, will head
0:55.7	HHS if confirmed in the Senate, and President-elect Trump has promised to, quote, dismantle
1:01.1	government bureaucracy by slashing the federal workforce. But what would this move mean, not just
1:06.1	for federal workers, but for the work they do for the country. We get to those questions and more after the
1:11.4	break. This episode is part of our dot-gov series, where we dive into some of the trials and
1:16.3	triumphs of running federal agencies. Today, we focus on health with a look at HHS and the CDC.
1:22.9	I'm Jen White. You're listening to the 1A podcast where we get to the heart of the story. Stay with us.
1:28.2	We've got a lot to get to.
1:33.5	The Indicator is a podcast where daily economic news is about what matters to you.
1:38.0	Workers have been feeling the sting of inflation. So as a new administration promises action on the cost of living, taxes, and home prices,
1:44.8	the S&P 500 biggest post-election day spike ever, follow all the big changes and what they mean for you.
1:50.6	Make America affordable again.
1:54.0	Listen to The Indicator, the Daily Economics podcast from NPR.
1:59.3	Joining us now is Julie Rovner.
2:01.3	She's the chief Washington correspondent for KFF Health News.
2:04.8	She also hosts the weekly health policy news podcast, What the Health.
2:08.5	Julie, it's great to have you back.
	...

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